New Town is using drones to fly over its markets and streets to ensure residents abide by the lockdown rules.

“We had invited companies to demonstrate drone technology and are using it to monitor the situation now,” said Debashis Sen, chairman of New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA). “We are deploying drones in two time slots — from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm — as both are peak shopping hours.”

Since shopping is the only activity people are allowed to do outside homes, Sen said it has been noticed that entire families are trying to use it as an excuse to venture out. “So we are letting only one member of the family into markets while others remain in the car,” he said. “The upheaval in the livelihood of daily wage earners has also forced many of them to sit outside markets and sell vegetables. The drones can help us ensure that at least social distancing norms are being adhered to.”

The feed from the drones is being streamed live at an NKDA control room and upon any violation a task force is being alerted to go make relevant announcements over mics at the spot or inform the police. “NKDA has 12 markets and we are trying to ensure safety norms as far as possible. But social distancing at the informal street markets — near Shapoorji Pallonji, near Lohapool and near DLF — is proving tough to maintain.”

NKDA has citizen volunteers who keep an eye on the markets. “They alert us when rules are not followed. But the crowd is refusing to listen to our officials too.” The authorities have now sought help from the Bidhannagar Police to manage the markets.

Tech talk

The drones are being flown by Federal Synergies India, a technology company that has its office at Salt Lake’s AMP Vaisaakkhi mall. “Drones are a versatile and effective tool for last-mile connectivity,” says Prayush Poddar, in charge of customer outreach of the company.

The air-borne cameras can be flown by a handler on the ground — who can see the flight course on a tab attached to the remote control in his hands — or automatically if the authority informs them beforehand of the specific area to be surveyed. “Sometimes we have noticed crowds at markets, children playing football or cricket or residents heading out for evening walks. The information goes straight to NKDA with GPS co-ordinates.

The drones have anti-collision sensors and there are 14 pre-flight checks and balances that have to be ensured before the drones are air-borne. Having registered with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, they have to follow several guidelines.

Poddar, who himself is a drone pilot certified by Federal Aviation Administration of the US, says technology is even available to home deliver lunch to residents during the lockdown. “But the economics has to be looked into,” says Poddar, a resident of GD Block.

Sen is open to ideas. “Companies have been approaching us with offers to spray sanitiser from drones or do micing but they will have to demonstrate these features before we take a call. There has to be substantial value addition. It makes no sense to use a drone to do something a car can.”

Additional reporting by Sudeshna Banerjee